Q139676: Finding Out Who Has Locked the SNA Server Configuration File

Article: Q139676
Product(s): Microsoft SNA Server
Version(s): WINDOWS:2.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 13-JUN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft SNA Server, version 2.11 
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SUMMARY
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Within a Windows NT domain, all SNA Servers in the domain share a common
configuration file, where only one SNA Server in the domain is designated as the
"primary" configuration server. When the SNA Admin program is started, Admin
attempts to open the primary server's configuration file in Read/Write mode. If
this open succeeds, all other users who attempt to run SNA Admin will only be
able to access the configuration file in read-only mode.

Read/write access is needed to update the configuration file, though read-only
access still allows that administrator to start/stop SNA Server services and
view their status.

Under SNA Server 2.11, if the configuration file is already open for read\write
access and another SNA Administration program tries to open the configuration
file, the user will be prompted with the following dialog box:

  Insufficient privilege or the file is locked. The file is locked by Domain
  Name\User on computer (computer name). OK to open the configuration in read
  only mode?

The user will only be able to open the configuration file for read access at this
time.

Previous versions of SNA Server Admin do not show what user has the primary
configuration file locked open for write access. If the SNA Admin program is not
running locally on the primary configuration server, then Windows NT Server
Manager can be used to determine which user has the configuration file open in
write mode. Choose Server Manager/servername/<in use>/ look at which user
has the <COM.C$$> file locked.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Under SNA Server 2.11, SNA Server Admin is able to determine who has the
configuration file open by parsing the COM.LOK file. This file is created when
the configuration file is opened for read\write access. The file is deleted when
the SNA Server Administration program that has locked the configuration file is
shutdown.

Sample COM.LOK file:

SNASERVER\Snauser SNAUSER

If this file is deleted while the COM.CFG is still locked by SNA Server Admin
then any other SNA Server Admin will not be able to tell the user (in the popup
message) who has the configuration file opened for Read\write access.

NOTE: SNA Server Admin 2.1 and 2.11 support the ability to configure SNA Server
administration rights, using the SNA Admin Security/Permissions dialog. Users
can be granted the following rights:

No access: Disallow a particular user or group from administering SNA Server

Read (manage only): Allow the user to open the configuration file in read mode,
so the user can view the server status and start/stop services.

Read/Write: Allow the user to manage the server and change the SNA Server
configuration.

Full control: View SNA Server status, start and stop services, change SNA Server
configuration information and assign configuration privileges for other users.

WARNING: The SNA Server administrator should never attempt to set Windows NT file
system (NTFS) file privileges on the primary SNA Server configuration file. The
SNA Server Admin program should be used exclusively to manage SNA Administration
rights of users.

Additional query words: prodsna

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbSNAServSearch kbSNAServ211
Version           : WINDOWS:2.11
Issue type        : kbinfo

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